Weight Gain for Women Increases Breast Cancer Risk

New research indicates women who gain weight during their adult stages of life increase their risk of acquiring breast cancer. This research comes from a study involving almost 100,000 women whose weight was noted at ages 18, 35, 50 and their current age. According to study findings, the average woman gained approximately 34 pounds over their adult life with only 8 percent of women actually maintaining their weight through adulthood. Women who gained weight, were overweight or became obese were also more likely to suffer from a more advanced form of breast cancer. Additionally, the weight gain to breast cancer risk relationship appears to be similar throughout adulthood. In other words, gaining weight at anytime during adulthood posses a similar risk. The latest US statistics estimate approximately 178,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,000 deaths will occur from breast cancer this year.